For most of recorded history pets have played a role in nearly every culture. "The history of pet keeping has a lot to say about our changing ideas about human nature, about what constitutes a satisfying life," says University of Delaware faculty member Kasey Grier who has turned her love of animals into an academic and research pursuit. The author of "Pets in America: A History," Grier brings her scholarship in pets and Americans to Penn State Harrisburg at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 11 in the Gallery Lounge as part of its School of Humanities lecture series. The talk is free to the public. For information, call (717) 948-6196.